


AquaKanan

by CirclesArePointless



Category: Aquaman (2018), Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Atlantean!Kanan, Crossover, DC Comics AU, Gen, Post-Canon, aquaman? more like aqoursgirl, well actually half-atlantean but whatever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27026437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CirclesArePointless/pseuds/CirclesArePointless
Summary: The oceans had always felt like a second home for Kanan. On the surface, she's just a former school idol, but deep underwater, she was something much more. One day, she was approached by someone from Atlantis, where half of her heritage comes from. Being told of an impending conflict between the ocean and the surface, the half-Atlantean was persuaded to reclaim her birthright and cease the war.(AU based on the DCEU Aquaman film.)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

The storms were raging hard along the western coast of the hilly Izu Peninsula, its ravaging winds blowing hard against the land. Grey clouds covered the entirety of Uchiura, one of the many settlements along the coast, as well as the adjacent Awashima Island just in front of it.

Taro Matsuura was busy taking care of his diving shop against the force of nature, umbrellas were already starting to either roll down onto the floor or be flown away by the strong winds. The man, wearing a dark raincoat, tried his best to secure most of his belongings outside, luckily, he was well prepared for severe weathers like this.

As soon as the exterior furniture were placed somewhere safer, his eyes were distracted by a mysterious figure washed ashore, a gleaming white amongst the gloomy grey of the skies. Braving the winds, Taro slowly made his way to the seaside, before being completely taken aback at what he saw.

On those concrete steps leading to the sea was a beautiful woman with wet blonde hair, lying unconsciously with a trident in hand. Taro could tell why, he could see the wounds on her abdomen, where red blood had defiled her pure white attire.

Without further ado, the curious man quickly carried the woman away, before the nasty waves could sweep her away from the site. He quickly brought this injured woman inside his house, and gently placed her above the counter of his diving shop, all this while the electricity suddenly went out.

Not long after, the blonde instantly came to her senses, and threw out all the sea water within her body. Taro was reassuring her that everything will be alright, but her only response was an unnaturally strong chokehold, almost suffocating him. The shopkeeper was pushed back towards the walls, being dragged above the surface by the angry but confused woman. The television came back to life as the power returned, but that only startled the mysterious woman who quickly struck the box with her trident.

But her consciousness did not last long. Moments later, the still-bleeding woman was starting to faint and if it wasn’t for Taro, her body would’ve fell flat onto the hard, wooden floor.

\----

Yesterday was still fresh in Taro’s mind.

He never would have thought that he would end up with an unlikely encounter.

Taro had found an unknown stranger washed ashore in front of his diving shop, and his first instinct was to give this woman some shelter to protect her from the strong weather. The shopkeeper had let her rest peacefully over the sofa and helped cover her torso with some gauze cloth to stop her bleeding.

Like every other morning, Taro brewed some tea to start the day, only this time, he would be making it for two. Once he could sense its calming aroma, he brought the two mugs filled with hot tea to the living room.

Only for him to be surprised (and slightly amused) when he saw one of his pet goldfish being eaten by the stranger.

The blonde was still confused, and judging from her body language, it was as if she is not used to human life. As weird as that thought may be, the man gently approached the woman to offer her some tea, only for her to slightly back away. Taro calmly took a seat and slowly blew over his tea, guiding his strange guest on how to cool it down. He then extended her right hand towards her, handing the blonde her mug of tea.

The woman was hesitant at first, but the shopkeeper kept on reassuring that it’ll make her feel better. She grabbed the mug with her two hands, blowing her tea just like Taro did. And when Taro brought his mug to his mouth to drink its contents, she also followed, mimicking the moves she observed from the curious man who saved her.

The tea was satisfyingly delicious for the woman, who quickly perked up with a sweet smile, enough indication that she was now feeling more at ease.

“So, uhh, who are you?”

Once the ice was broken, Taro decided to inquire his guest; about who she was, why she was washed ashore, or what’s with the scaly wetsuit.

“Atlanna,” the beauty paused for a while, “Queen of Atlantis.”

The shopkeeper was sceptical of her response, it was a claim so far-fetched that he wasn’t sure whether to believe it or not. Sure, Taro was more familiar with Ryuuguujou from his native folklore, but he had also known about the legends of Atlantis as well. Either way, they were just stories. Fairy tales. Myths. Regardless, the host decided to play along and entertain his guest.

“I’m Taro, uhh, keeper of diving shop.”

The two shared a small laugh together, before taking another sip of the hot beverage through their smiling lips.

They made good use of the remaining time getting to know each other, and with each passing second, Taro’s doubts had changed into that of sympathy as his guest told him her story.

Atlanna was a royal, a queen of a lost kingdom deep under the ocean. She ruled over a mythical nation of water-breathing humans, its existence was still unproven to mankind, but was only told as fantastical myths and fairy tales.

Despite all that, she decided to run away instead.

Atlanna was fleeing away from an arranged marriage, something she could not commit to full-heartedly. The whole affair came as forced, and she was uneasy at the idea of being together with her so-called future husband. Sadly, there was nowhere to run in the entire seven seas but the surface world. Now, she was at large with the Atlantean forces, who no doubt would scour entire oceans just to bring her back and realise the marriage.

The surface was her only refuge, and Taro was ready to welcome her with open arms.

Now living under the same roof, the two had grew closer to each other over time, sharing more intimate moments with each other in this green island. Taro’s sympathy had grown into something much more, and so did Atlanna’s admiration. They hadn’t known it yet, but in time, they would feel it, to the point where it got too obvious. It doesn’t matter that one was just a lowly mortal and one was of royal blood. It doesn’t matter that they came from different worlds.

It was in this diving shop that they found true love.

The compassion they felt for each other transcends boundaries. It almost felt like that one bedtime story Taro’s parents would read to him when he was just a little boy. The one bearing his namesake. Though in this case, instead of him going to the undersea palace, it was the lady who went to his humble shack.

The couple lived happily together, went through many things together, including Atlanna’s pregnancy not long after. The thought of bearing a child of two worlds was something new to them, but it was enough proof that the sea and the surface could coexist.

Months have passed since, and a cute little baby safely made its way out from her mother’s womb, crying loudly for a motherly embrace. The doctor gently handed over the female newborn to its mother, as its features became more obvious to Atlanna. Under the bright lights, she could make out her adorable face, gifted with purple eyes and hair as blue as the deep ocean.

It wasn’t until Taro had a chance to see his own daughter that they named their sweet child.

Kanan Matsuura.

A beautiful name befitting of a beautiful child, who in time had grown up to be a very gentle girl. The blue-haired child was adventurous, curious, and she loved hugs more than anything. Her purple eyes were always filled with delight whenever it’s time to play outside, or whenever it’s story time, where her parents would read her many stories from not just Japanese folklore, but others too as well. Ocean-themed legends quickly became the child’s favourite.

It’s a shame the family couldn’t stay together for any longer.

The Atlantean forces eventually got their hands on Atlanna’s whereabouts, as the Matsuura household was shocked by a sudden attack on what was supposed to be a calm Sunday evening. After a few years of peace, the runaway queen realised that she truly could never run away from her past.

Sure, the blonde managed to fight off the heavily armed soldiers, but what’s stopping Atlantis from sending more forces, or even an entire army, just to reclaim their lost queen? The previous attack had already damaged parts of Taro’s diving shop, and she knew the longer she stays here, he and their daughter would constantly be in danger.

With a heavy heart, Atlanna bade her final farewell to her family, a family where her heart sincerely belongs with, unlike the king down there who she was forced to marry with. Taro was hesitant to let her go; she was the love of her life and he couldn’t imagine himself on the side of another woman ever since their souls intertwined. But the blonde reassured him, reassured their daughter, that she will return eventually when it’s safe.

The only way for Atlanna to save them was to give in sadly, so she made sure that she makes the most out of their final moments before parting ways. The mother gently hugged her precious child with all her love, telling her that she would always be by her side no matter what. She then handed the child over to its father, before sharing one last kiss, a kiss both of them would treasure greatly.

“You stay strong, my little princess. Don’t let her forget me, okay?”

The runaway queen, still teary-eyed, said her final words, hoping that they would understand that this is for their best. With no more time to spare, Atlanna ran off the pier and dove straight into the blue ocean, instantly disappearing from Taro’s line of sight.

Sadly enough, this would be the last time that Taro saw his true love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ai: aquaman? more like aqoursgirl, geddit?
> 
> so, uhh, yay, another unlikely crossover! had this idea bouncing in my head for a while, cause y'know, dolphin girl and all that stuff. i just feel that if kanan were to be a superhero, aquaman would be the right fit for her (or rather, aquagirl; not quite sure if there's a female counterpart like superman and supergirl).
> 
> ~~i also didn't know what to put her father's name as, so i just chose some random name i got from the internet. hope that didn't bother you guys too much, cause writing a prologue like this without a name can be quite challenging (eg: kanan's father? but kanan wasn't even born yet lmao).~~
> 
> [besides, here's definitive proof that kanan can breathe underwater](https://kachagain.com/sifas/images/cards/178.png)
> 
> EDIT (28/10/2020): did some minor rewrites, also chose a more suitable name for kanan's dad after [urashima taro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urashima_Tar%C5%8D) (which imo kinda fits thematically)


	2. Sakana ka Nanda ka?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay, real life got the better of me and i didn't expect this chapter to be this long. also did some minor rewrites on the prologue so go check that out.  
> anyways, here it is!

From up above, the vast oceans may seem calm and peaceful with nothing else to show for miles ahead. But underneath the deep blue veil lies an entirely different world, a world full of majestic wonders. The aquatic realm is home to diverse creatures and plants alike, coming in many shapes and colours.

Its sheer vastness had always been a factor for the sea’s mysterious allure; with much left to be discovered, it’s no surprise why the waters had always been a subject of many tales and legends. Be it a species of humans with fins or an entire city submerged undersea, the oceans are very much a strong influence in the folklores of seaside communities.

An array of fishes and aquatic mammals were blissfully swimming in the salty waters, each in their own pace. The smaller ones usually flock in their schools, while the bigger ones are very much known to roam alone.

But there exists an exception. 

Just above the colourful corals, an equally beautiful lady was happily roaming around the oceans, taking in its marvellous sights through her shining amethyst eyes. She was all by herself with her face full of joy, clearly enjoying what the seas had to offer. It was a wildly different experience from the surface world, and Kanan had grown to love every single bit of it ever since her childhood.

The former school idol was fully clad in her dark blue wetsuit decorated with some stripes of light blue and pink, hugging her athletic figure like a second skin. Her blue hair was tied into a long ponytail, blending seamlessly with the salty waters.

But what makes her different from the others was the complete absence of any diving gear along her body, and the fact that she was diving far, far away from the nearest shore.

It would certainly spell an imminent death for a normal human, but Kanan is no mere mortal.

As she continued her underwater stroll, she came across a large whale slowly moving just in front of her. The creature was at least several times bigger than her, but its size does not intimidate Kanan in the slightest.

“Hagu shiyou?”

She gently approached the whale, offering a sincere hug to the lonely creature with a kind smile. Her mind was in tune with its feelings; she could feel that the creature could use a warm touch. Its reply was almost immediate, an absolute yes to the kind offer.

The girl outstretched her arms and held onto the aquatic mammal with much warmth and love. It was comforting for the whale, who was pleased with the display of affection. Kanan could feel the creature becoming happier, which only widened her heartwarming smile.

But her purple eyes were suddenly distracted by what seems to be a hijacking attempt. Not far from here, she could see a submarine with an unusual looking foreign craft above it, the latter presumably belonging to a group of pirates.

“Sorry, but I’ve got something to do.”

Kanan unfortunately had to pull away abruptly from the embrace, leaving the whale sadly on its own again. Right now, her focus was to investigate the suspicious activity, and to intervene if she had to. There could be some innocent lives being risked at this very moment, and she does not want to leave any of them helpless.

Especially with what she is capable of.

Growing up, Kanan realised just how different she was from her peers. Besides being able to breathe underwater, she had noticed a lot of remarkable things about her own body. Her strength is unbounded, her reflexes are superhumanly agile, and she doesn’t tire easily. No wonder she was the only one in Aqours who managed to finish Umi’s herculean training regime.

As amazing as it sounds, it was a secret that not even her closest friends knew.

But that doesn’t stop her from using her gifts to protect her beloved oceans.

Kanan had been doing so for the past few years, inspired by her love for the seas and her desire to keep it beautiful. She couldn’t do everything, that’s for sure, but with such great powers, the very least she could do was to put them into good use.

She started out small, like sending a beached whale back into the oceans, or protecting some endangered sharks from being hunted. She very much prefers not to draw too much attention to herself, so she doesn’t mind if all her good deeds went unnoticed.

But eventually, her miraculous acts would be made known to the whole world. Kanan still remembers waking up with her timeline full of retweeted videos of a deep blue blur swimming away at tremendous speeds. It was kind of strange to see herself through the lens of someone else, after all, little did they knew that said blur was herself. Considering that she was rescuing a sinking ferry full of passengers, it’s no surprise that some of them would start whipping out their phones at the slightest hint of the unusual.

Kanan was no stranger to public admiration, having been a popular school idol back in high school. However, there is a big difference between being known for her singing and dancing, and being known as a superhero. So, she did her best to obscure her identity, and she did so successfully. Nobody could trace the viral mysterious saviour back to her, even to this day. As her heroics gained more recognition, the media and people alike have begun to dub her hero self with many names, such as The Guardian of the Oceans, The Aquatic Princess, or The Friendly Mermaid, among others.

But the one nickname that stuck around the most is: Aquagirl.

Kanan admittedly prefers that name over the rest; it was short, simple, and most importantly, not too wordy. It also kind of reminds her of Aqours too.

With lives potentially at stake, the lady had no choice but to swim as quick as she could towards the submarine, immediately hitting its propeller with sheer force. The spinning blades were no match for her tough figure, and the submarine instantly stalled its motion.

But her job wasn’t done yet. She then made her way to the bottom of the hull, extending her arms as her two palms carried the humongous vessel upwards. It must’ve weighed at least a couple thousands of tonnes, but it does not concern Kanan at the slightest, despite looking like an ant compared to the heavy object. The metal frame even crumpled a bit under her raw strength while she lifts the submarine all the way until the surface.

The calm waters gave way to a big splash once the submerged vessel was now out on the open, left to float over the ocean. Kanan followed suit as she leapt upwards onto the metal hull, now looking for an opening to get inside. 

After finding the entrance, she waited for a few moments before kicking the thick, round piece of metal inwards. She quickly jumped in, finding out that the door had hit two men who happened to be waiting just underneath it.

But her challenge had only just begun. She could see a couple more of armoured troops approaching her from the other end of the passageway, ready to take her down. They could only stand still in awe over what they had just witnessed, but that does not stop them from firing relentlessly at their newly arrived guest.

But the girl was quick to her feet, swiftly picking up the detached door as she advanced towards them. The rapid fire didn’t even slow her down, and in seconds, she had knocked their rifles off their hands. But the threat still lingers, so the blue-haired lady continued her fight, armed only with a metal door. A simple swing was enough to ground one of them, but she unluckily missed the other when she threw the metal, hitting one of the pipes instead.

Her opponent took full advantage, immediately snatching his weapon and shot a round straight at her body.

It did nothing.

All it did instead was puncturing a small hole on her wetsuit instead, all while her fair skin remain unblemished.

The assailant was still in shock when the lady grabbed him by the foot and flipped his entire body over, eventually landing on the rough ground. The other pirate was simply no match for Kanan’s might, for he too was knocked out easily.

The fighting continued as more men entered the scene, each trying their best to neutralise this unstoppable threat. But as the blue-haired woman furthered her steps into the control room, all their efforts went immediately down the drain, as they realised just how powerless they were, facing such a formidable fighter. Numbers don’t matter, as this lone woman managed to dislodge their weapons, easily counter all their moves, and even leave them unconscious.

No number of troops could defeat this superhuman.

She eventually got inside the quarter, where some reinforcements had been waiting for her. But much like the ones before them, they were defeated singlehandedly. They were instantly disarmed the moment they tried to use them, with Kanan instantly grabbing a hold on to their weapons, pulling it away from herself. One was knocked out by being hit with a periscope, after being spun around when she got a hold of his rifle.

Another man, who was ducking behind a table the entire time, instantly got up and slapped the girl’s head with all his might.

Pathetic, she thought. Even Mari was a better slapper than he was.

Returning the favour, Kanan unleashed a powerful slap on his face, instantly knocking the armoured man out, lying on the cold, metallic ground.

With no more men to face against, she paced around the submarine, trying to find if there were any hostages. Sure enough, she came across a closed door to another compartment, faintly hearing the signs of life from inside. The door was tightly locked, but it was nothing to worry about. Kanan spun the wheels with brute force, overcoming whatever that had been locking them up.

The door had finally opened, revealing an entire crew of sailors, being held hostage in their own submarine. All of them were donning Russian sailor uniforms, something her uniform enthusiast friend would take great interest in.

The sailors only stood in awe when their hero showed herself, proving that all those rumours were real after all. Here she was, the much fabled Aquagirl, standing in front of their eyes.

The lady wasted no time further, leading the sailors all the way to the exit safely, even keeping an eye on each crew to ensure that they got out safely.

However, she was suddenly disrupted by a barrage of bullets aimed at her, catching her by surprise. The sudden attack even injured one of the crew and pushed Kanan downwards onto the lower level.

Her assailant soon revealed himself, before jumping onto the same level.

“I’ve waited a long time for this.”

Before the man could even aim his weapon at her, Kanan swiftly kicked it aside, before getting back up on her two feet. They continued tussling with each other, as the man quickly unsheathed his blades from his two hands. The purple-eyed lady received a direct kick but was able to avoid the swinging of the blades aiming for her. The heavily armoured man finally had an opportunity to easily attack the girl, thrusting his knife straight towards her abdomen.

Kanan could only smirk when the man found out how his sharp knife hadn’t penetrated her skin at all; the only casualty here was yet another rip on her favourite wetsuit. Luckily, she had backup.

Taking advantage of his shock, she grabbed his extended arm and threw the stunned man metres away behind her.

“Am I supposed to know who you are?” Kanan asked with a rather assertive tone.

“I scavenge the high seas. You’re the Aquagirl.” The pirate slowly rose, albeit still fatigued from the blows he was dealt with. “We were bound to meet at some point.”

Just like the comic books she had read sometimes, it was only a matter of time before she too would have her own enemies, but honestly, Kanan was not looking to make one at all.

Once the man regained his composure, he quickly threw his fists back at Kanan, who responded casually to each of his movements.

“Let’s not make it a habit, shall we?”

The struggle went on as they each made their own moves, although it was obvious that Kanan had the upper hand. The man even attempted to stab the woman yet again, but his blade was caught precisely in between her hands before it could even reach her face. Those same hands effortlessly broke it into two, before smacking him with a torpedo beside her.

The man was helplessly lying on the ground when a clicking sound came from the other side of the room, revealing another pirate, undoubtedly older than the one she was fighting with.

He only walked in without uttering any words, as he simply shot a grenade directly at Kanan instead. It hit her squarely on her abdomen, the explosive force pushing her entire body way behind towards the walls. The impact left her lying face down, engulfed in smoke. The girl was left immobile for a few seconds before rising back, much to their dismay.

Like all the other weapons they had thrown at her, it did little to no effect to her body. A slow and sarcastic ouch broke the silence as the young woman slowly rose up, revealing her now bare body. After all, she might be extremely resistant, but the same cannot be said for her wetsuit. Its upper front had melted away from the explosion. At least her striped green and blue bra was still intact, enough to cover the essentials.

The sudden attack very much angered Kanan, who forcibly ripped apart a metal pipe and threw it directly at her assailant, stabbing through his shoulder. The man screamed in intense pain from the tough rod piercing him, fresh blood quickly flowing out of his body. The younger pirate shouted for him in worry, revealing the familial connection between the two.

“Dad, huh?” The tough lady was scowling as she walked towards the man. “That’s your kid? Shame on you.” 

Without further ado, Kanan quickly pulled the metal apart, leaving the pirate writhing in pain.

“You boys got yourselves into this mess, get yourselves out of it.” The heroine started to make her way out now that her task is finished.

The impaled man screamed in rage, even cursed at her as he shot another round of grenade aimed at the woman. Kanan, who was climbing up the ladder, managed to dodge it in time, with the shell hitting the water pipe instead.

The explosion blew the pipe apart, unleashing a torrent of water inside the compartment. The leak pushed a torpedo onto the older pirate, effectively trapping him under.

Kanan was motionless for a while, hesitating as she witnessed the scene unfold. On one hand, they’re still people, and she had the power to save them. Considering that they are family, it would be a disheartening fate if one of them end up losing their loved ones. She knew very well how that feels like.

On another hand, these same men had committed crimes and bad deeds; a part of her thought that they very much deserved to be in this situation.

“You can’t leave him like this!” The son pleaded at Kanan to help her trapped father, even though he was trying to defeat her just moments ago.

Kanan was disgusted by the plea, one moment he was fighting her because she foiled their plans, and now he’s asking her for mercy?

“You killed innocent people. You ask the sea for mercy.”

With that, the blue-haired beauty vanished from their sight, leaving them alone in the drowning compartment. She made her way back to the nearby exit, where the still-wounded soldier was lying on the wall. Kanan held her hand out and helped the sailor up, carrying him outside where his fellow compatriots were waiting inside their emergency lifebuoys.

Once she was sure that every member of the crew was safe, Kanan pulled them all towards the nearest shore at high speeds, but still minding the safety of the crew. Like her sailor friend always says, “zensoku zenshin, yousoro!”

\----

“Kanan-chan!”

The woman in question was busy feeding the dolphins in the open pool when she heard a familiar shout, a cheerful shout that could only come from one of her childhood friends. She turned her head around and indeed saw an orange-haired girl in her casual clothes walking towards her, alongside another friend of hers, fully clad in a business attire that suits the black-haired figure very elegantly.

“Thought we’d find you here.”

Kanan had been friends with both Chika and Dia for a long time, even though they were both from a separate circle. But it was during her final year in high school that these circles merged into one, forming new bonds while strengthening existing bonds. They all went their own ways nowadays, but Aqours was just as close as they were then, no matter where they are.

Chika chose to stay in Uchiura after graduating high school, running the inn with her family full-time. Dia meanwhile had just returned from a business school in Tokyo, and now she’s working as a junior manager in her family’s business, learning the ropes as the Kurosawa heiress.

While for Kanan, she went on to study marine life at Osaka; after all, the vast oceans and its inhabitants had always been her passion since childhood. It’s why she ended up working at Izu Mito Sea Paradise when she returned here, besides helping her father in running the diving shop from time to time.

“How’s it going?” Dia continued her dialogue once they got their long-time friend’s attention.

“Oh, I’m just doing alright now, how about you two?” The blue-haired girl smiled, delighted to see her visiting friends.

“Yeah, the inn’s doing just fine, not much happened really apart from the occasional guests,” Chika slowly closed the gap between her mouth and her friend’s ear, now whispering teasingly. “I think some of them were starstruck when they saw me at the front desk…” The girl started to chuckle a little bit while recalling some of their faces.

While things are quite relaxed for her orange-haired friend, the former student council president now has a bigger responsibility in hand.

“I’m doing fine, just still trying to get the hang of running a part in my family’s company, you know…”

Kanan wished her the best, she personally knew how responsible Dia can be since they first met, and this new role was no different. She had always been a responsible friend, a responsible president, and a responsible sister; that last part made the athletic girl curious about a certain redhead.

“Speaking of, how’s Ruby?”

She heard that her friend’s younger sister was also following her footsteps, taking up a business major too. She apparently did it under her own volition, somehow it wasn’t as surprising as Kanan thought it would be. Sure, Dia had asked her if she was serious on taking that path, but then, the redhead had grown more self-assured over the years even if she was still her bubbly self, besides, she would really like to help her family out in a way.

In fact, Kanan remembers when Chika told her how Ruby was in line to become Numazu High’s next student council president when she was about to graduate. Aqours really did help Ruby get over her fears and build up her leadership qualities, and over time, she had grown to be as confident as her elder sister, if not more.

“Oh, she’s having fun up north in Sapporo.”

Unlike her sister, Ruby furthered her studies beyond the Honshu and up to the island of Hokkaido. Dia pulled out her phone and showed them a picture of her younger sister enjoying herself with one of her friends, a purple-haired girl who they would soon recognise as Leah Kazuno.

Meanwhile, Chika was impressed by how Kanan was treating the aquarium’s animals so well, as if they were close friends with each other.

“Wow, you really are a natural with sea creatures!”

Kanan simply shrugged it off, slightly smirking at how Chika was correct in a way.

“Aww, you know me… I spent most of my life beside the seas.”

“Well, don’t we all?”

But Dia’s retort was stopped short when she felt her presence being violated, as if there was a dolphin staring at her back from inside the large pool. She quickly turned her head into the waters, but was only met with nothingness, much to the laughter of others.

The girls went on with their small talks, slowly pacing inside the compound as they talked about virtually anything under the sun. They gossiped about weird guests, mind-numbing paperwork, and another loose penguin, oh, and school idols too, of course.

“Well, here’s your mikans by the way!”

With the trio about to return to their jobs, Chika outstretched her right hand towards Kanan, holding a plastic bag full of mikans for the blue-haired girl to savour.

“Aww, thanks, it’s so nice that you always bring them whenever you come here.”

The offer was met with her gratitude, but maybe expressing it verbally wasn’t enough. 

“Say, how about a hug before you two leave?”

Chika quickly rushed to Kanan’s embrace, but Dia was hesitating, slightly shy from such form of affection when they are all already adults. Though her purple eyes had started to tease her green-eyed friend, assuring that there’s nothing to be ashamed of. She slowly tagged along, giving in to Kanan’s firm yet motherly hug.

Her childhood friends said their goodbyes, leaving Kanan back with her tasks to take care of.

After graduating university, Kanan could’ve taken up a prestigious job at say, a marine research facility or doing some on-site work in the middle of the ocean, but instead she opted for a job to manage the operations of one of her hometown’s aquarium, Izu Mito Sea Paradise. Sure, it’s not really a glamourous job compared to what else she could do with her degree, but she thought that just simply working with these sea creatures was enough to make her happy.

Besides, she doesn’t want to leave her father alone, who helped raise her to become who she is now despite being just a single father. Her mother had suddenly disappeared since she was still a little child, but she harboured no ill-will, in fact, she would really love to reunite with her again, to embrace each other with a warm hug after all these years. It’s a shame those hopes were crushed when she found out the truth about her mother’s fate.

As Kanan walked along the underwater theatre, she couldn’t help but to be reminded of her many memories created in this exact space. It made her felt nostalgic for a little while, nostalgic for a time when the nine of them were determined to find their radiance.

She could recall the shooting session they had here for one of their PVs, performing in front of the curved glass with the many sea creatures present just behind them. Kanan really liked how the PV for Koi ni Naritai AQUARIUM turned out; she loved the dresses so much, especially how much it resembles that of a fish. The mostly white dress was uniquely designed for each member with their own flairs, and it made them look like beautiful mermaids. It was a perfect representation for the school idol group hailing from the seaside. They were named after the Latin word for water after all, although with a little bit of artistic liberty on the spelling.

Her thoughts shifted into another memory they made together here, a reminder that this isn’t the first time Kanan had worked here. They were helping You for a whole day, working as volunteers in hopes that it could support their club’s finances. She chuckled when she remembered how hard Dia tried to be closer with the rest of Aqours at that time, her efforts quickly backfired because of her odd demeanour. But even she had to admit, Dia certainly saved their butts when facing against some rowdy kindergarteners.

Speaking of kindergarteners, it reminded her of yet another fond memory she had here.

One where she found out about her true heritage.

\----

Kanan was just a little child back then, and she was very much excited for her first visit to Izu Mito Sea Paradise. She had always been fascinated by all things aquatic, so this kindergarten visit was a golden opportunity for her to know more about them.

Together with the other preschoolers, the flock of light blue were walking towards the underwater exhibit, accompanied by their teachers and the workers. They helped explaining much of the species shown there, which particularly piqued Kanan’s interest. After several minutes, the group was given the liberty to roam around the area, letting them observe all the creatures under their own leisure.

After some advice from their teachers, a green-eyed kid started to speak out to her fellow pre-schoolers. The girl, chosen to represent her schoolmates, spoke out some simple words to complement the earlier advice.

“Everyone, let’s do things right and please beha- pigii!”

But the girl, who seem very mature and responsible for her age, started squeaking when a school of fishes were swimming too closely beside her, causing the poor child to lose her concentration. Her fellow pupils had already started to disperse around the hall, save for one blue-haired girl.

“Aww, it’s alright, it’s just a fish…”

Her kind smile was reassuring for Dia, who was feeling slightly ashamed after her earlier mess-up. She could only stand still, observing the creatures along her friend, who inched closer to the barrier that separates them from the underwater dwellers.

“Hi, I’m Kanan!” The young girl enthusiastically introduced herself to the sea creatures in front of her.

She had always loved them so much; to her, the aquarium visit was a dream come true. Her fascination for the oceans drove her to be more curious, learning about the diverse species residing under the deep blue waters.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if I could just hug you right now…”

Kanan could sense what the fishes were feeling, and she could feel that they understood each other. The child didn’t really know why, but she always felt like she could talk to fishes somehow, even understanding them. Back home, her father would sometimes catch her talking for hours to his pet fishes. He was never mad or anything, but rather, it helps put a smile on his face.

“You think the same too?”

Her face was marked with a radiant smile when she sensed a response, it seems that the fishes would really love to return the wholesome favour.

But her peculiar conversation was rudely disrupted by two other girls, making fun of her odd behaviour.

“Aww, look! Kanan’s talking to the fishes…”

As if a verbal attack wasn’t enough, these bullies forcefully shoved the defenseless girl onto the thick glass behind her, restraining her body with all their might.

Dia, as the representative, tried to intervene, only to shriek yet again when a shark suddenly banged itself headfirst onto the glass, shocking everyone inside, including the bullies.

The shark banged itself a couple more times until a big noticeable crack formed on the glass, much to the worry of everyone.

While everyone had backed away, Kanan somehow managed to remain calm, gently turning around to face the threatening shark. The blue-haired girl reached out towards the waters, as if trying to calm the shark down from attacking further.

The ferocious creature complied, much to everyone’s disbelief. The shark had stopped any further advances against the cracked glass, relieving the tense situation.

Amidst the silence, Kanan slowly turned her back towards the crowd, who were still inching away from the scene, albeit slowly. The girl had kept her eyes shut when she turned around, but the second her eyelids reopened, something else caught attention.

Her violet eyes had started to glow like an amethyst gem.

\----

Kanan opened her eyes to the symphony of fishes behind her, seemingly calling out to her if everything’s alright.

The blue-haired girl swiftly spun around, facing the creatures who caught her surprised. “Yeah, I’m fine, it’s nothing. Just had some flashbacks, that’s all…”

Her mind could feel their thoughts, their concerns for herself who was clearly spending too much time reminiscing about the past. The fishes were now trying to cheer her up, with some playful banter and some small talks to lighten up the mood. Kanan took good advantage of the rather lax traffic at the moment, happily interacting with the creatures.

“Well, I can’t really hug you all, you’re too small to hug. I’d like too though, cause you all are just so damn cute!”

But her face suddenly flushed red when she heard footsteps from the edge of the room, a co-worker slowly entering the area.

“Hey, boss…” The co-worker hesitated if she should address her senior or not.

Kanan equally hesitated if she should respond or not. “O-Oh, hi there…”

“Talking to the fishes?”

_Shoot. Did she saw all of that?_

The purple-eyed girl hastily tried to cover it up. “What? No, I just happened to think out loud, I guess. They are cute though, don’t you think?”

But the junior worker saw through those nervous smiles, which only made her chuckle a little.

“Don’t worry, I won’t judge. Besides, isn’t it fun to talk to them? It gets lonely here for these fishes I suppose; being behind these glasses for like, god knows how long. Maybe they’d be less lonely if they have someone to talk to, who knows if they could understand us?”

“Yeah, who knows…” Kanan scratched her head. She could already feel some of the fishes metaphorically rolling their eyes seeing how flustered she was.

The younger girl meanwhile pulled her attention towards the aquarium, where a school of fishes were already swimming towards the transparent barrier.

“Aww, you’re such an adorable fishy…”

Sensing a chance to escape, Kanan decided that it’s time to rush back to her office, where she could continue working and calm herself down after such an awkward situation. With that, she said a few words before walking away quickly, leaving her fellow worker alone with the fishes.

“Well, I’m gonna go back to my office. If you need me or anything, my door is always open. See you and keep up the good work!”

\----

_Phew. That was close._

Kanan comfortably sat down on her leather chair inside her office, after a rather awkward encounter with one of her subordinates. She was snacking on some of Chika’s mikans that was placed on her right-hand side of the table, just beside a framed picture of Aqours in her employer’s work clothes, except You who was in an Uchicchi mascot instead. As she was peeling off the orange skin, her purple eyes gazed outside through the windows, admiring the spectacular view of the vast oceans.

A place she calls her second home.

After learning more about herself since that incident she thought back earlier, the blue-haired woman finally understood her endless fixation to the underwater realm she has her entire life. She was royal down there for god’s sake, a princess of the oceans! Or rather, the forgotten princess of Atlantis, if its citizens even knew about her in the first place.

Kanan admits, if it weren’t for the fact that she could convince a shark out of all creatures to heed her will, she would’ve laughed her father off for telling her that. Sure, as a kid, there were many things she used to believe, but she never would’ve thought that those myths and legends would turn up to be very real, or that she happened to be a part of it in some way.

It had been a couple of years since she last saw her mother back then, and her sudden disappearance still made her teary-eyed. But her father’s explanations somehow brought a closure to the situation, optimistic that the family could reunite again in the future.

As the working lady started to arrange some of the documents, Kanan slowly giggled to herself on how she could’ve missed the hints. She was just a child back then, but looking back at it now, it was so obvious. Her father really loves telling her about classic Japanese folktales, but one that stood out for her was the story of Urashima Taro, where she learned of the ocean deities and the undersea palace of Ryuuguujou. Meanwhile, it was from her mother that she grew up to know about the legends of Atlantis.

It was understandable for her younger self though; from her faint memories, her mother looked just as human as her father, and she was sure she hadn’t grown any gills along her smooth porcelain skin nor had her legs transformed into scaly fins like a mermaid.

Kanan had now finished tidying up the table, ready to continue her work after savouring the unbelievably sweet fruit. There were a couple more documents that needed to be filled up, some of which are reports about the daily operations that she needs to hand in to her higher-ups.

She is also in charge of the animals’ welfare, making sure they are happy, healthy, and well-fed. She could gauge all this almost accurately thanks to her abilities; it makes her work more efficient. She was already finalising another order with the Kurosawa Fisheries for another monthly supply of fishes to be fed to the aquarium’s carnivorous creatures. There was no nepotism involved here, she was sure of that; the management had worked closely with them for decades, way before she even landed the job, so she was just merely continuing their tradition.

After finishing off her work for the day, Kanan made her way to a nearby dock, while saying her goodbyes to any workers along the way. She had parked her jet ski Mari bought for her as a graduation gift there, a compact but powerful vehicle with a pure white body and a big stripe of green to personalise it.

As soon as the engine revved up, the vessel quickly cut through the waters under the setting orange sun, taking only a few minutes for Kanan to reach her home at Awashima Island. As soon as she docked the jet ski near the diving shop, she rushed to its front doors, greeting her dear father.

“I’m home!”

Taro was busy closing the diving shop for the late evening when he saw her beloved daughter just getting off from the jet ski, still in her blue-and-white striped polo shirt.

The two shared a tight hug, exchanging their familiar warmth with each other. Her daughter’s hugs had always been so firm yet relieving; they sometimes helped fill the void her true love left after all these years.

“Ready to dine outside tonight?”

Friday nights are something the family had always waited for. Ever since her beloved daughter returned from Osaka, Taro thought that eating out together would be a fun thing to do, besides, it could help fortify their already strong father-daughter bond.

“Of course, dad!” Kanan exuberantly nodded, before rushing to her room to get something more casual to wear for the occasion.

\----

The two spent the night at their usual dining spot, a cosy seaside restaurant located somewhere off Uchiura. The sky had begun to darken, giving way for a cool and calm ambiance to accompany their dinner.

Kanan and her father were served some delectable seafood dishes, complete with a bottle of beer each to wash it all down. They went on to talk about anything that came up in their minds, cheerful chatters filling up their table.

The restaurant’s television was showing the evening news, adding more to the background noise. None of the reports were much of interest for them, but then came one that silenced the duo just for a little while.

“In other news, a Russian submarine believed to be heading back to the naval base in Vladivostok was hijacked earlier this morning by high-tech pirates somewhere around the Sea of Japan. The same pirates are suspected in connection with the disappearance of the US Navy's highly classified prototype stealth submarine.”

The smart-looking newscaster paused for a moment to catch his breath before continuing. “And a further development, we now have unconfirmed reports that the metahuman dubbed by social media as ‘the Aquagirl’ was responsible for this daring rescue.”

Taro stared at her daughter, who was slowly sipping the alcohol nonchalantly.

“I was away at work.”

The father could see through the younger girl’s attempt to distract his suspicions away. Who else could’ve done so other than her own daughter?

“You’re doing it, aren’t you? What Vulko trained you to do. I knew you couldn’t stand on the sidelines forever; your mother always knew you were special.” Taro was proud of her daughter’s heroic act, even going as far as to mention the Atlantean who had trained her daughter back in her adolescence.

“Dad, don’t even start...” Kanan was starting to get uncomfortable, she doesn’t like where this is going.

But that doesn’t stop her father from continuing. “She believed you’d be the one to unite our two worlds.”

“Just stop.” For Kanan, it was just a matter of doing the right thing. She’s not doing it for Atlantis at all. Why would she do all that for a kingdom that would rather pretend she does not exist?

“Whatever Atlantis’ problems are, you’re bigger than them.” Taro was still adamant about her daughter’s destiny, but Kanan thought he should’ve known better after all that has happened.

“Atlantis killed mom.”

“Y-You don’t know that for sure…” Taro shook his head, still in denial of his true love’s fate.

Kanan knew just how shook her father was when he found out, but he kept on convincing himself that it could not just happen. After all, she had promised to return one day. It’s a shame that reality can be so devastating, made worse when they were the reason for her execution. 

“Yes, I do. They killed her. For loving you and having me. And you know it.” Kanan rebutted with the bitter truth, trying her best to hold back her tears.

Taro paused for a while, thinking about what to say to comfort her daughter. Sometimes, he feels that her precious daughter puts too much pressure on herself.

“Sweetie, one day you’re gonna have to stop blaming yourself.”

Their tense conversation was cut short when two teenage girls approached them, both seemingly not from around here. One had brown eyes and light reddish orange hair; the way she tied her bun on the side reminded Kanan of Yoshiko. The other one had eyes as green as Dia’s, her black hair tied into twintails, ending with a green highlight.

Kanan could tell that the two were excited yet visibly nervous, but the black-haired girl braved herself and started to talk.

“Excuse me, are you that dolphin girl?”

Kanan froze for a while. Had they found out about her identity already?

The other girl quickly interrupted, bumping her shoulders as if trying to correct her friend’s mistake.

“You’re Kanan-san, from Aqours, right?”

Oh, of course. After all, her icon was a dolphin back in her school idol days.

Kanan only nodded, and was met with a loud, synchronised squeal from the obviously starstruck pair.

“Can we take a picture with you? We’re big fans of school idols like you! It would mean a lot to us, you know.”

“Yeah, sure.” Kanan was more than happy to entertain their request. Even if it has already been years, she would still get stopped by fans to take a photo together from time to time.

“Now, repeat after me. Hagu shiyou!”

\----

After a wonderful night of eating and drinking, Kanan carried her tired father to his pickup truck. He was starting to get too drunk to even stand on his own two feet, she supposed that her father must’ve had one too many that night.

Once she safely buckled her father up, she saw a woman with bright red hair emerging from the waters. She was wearing a green attire that reminded Kanan too much of the place she never wanted to hear about anymore.

The redhead began to talk as she walked closer towards her.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

Kanan shook her head. “Oh, no, no, no…” Whatever this lady wants from her, she does not want to be a part of it.

“I need you to come with me to Atlantis.”

Well, that’s going to be an instant no from Kanan.

“Look, I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told Vulko from like years ago.” With that, she quickly rejected the offer. “Sorry, but no. Not interested.”

But as she backed away towards the truck, the woman followed suit and explained herself. “Your half-brother King Orm is about to declare war upon the surface world. Billions will die. Your people and mine. We must stop him.”

Upon hearing the grave possibility, Kanan was instantly stopped in her tracks. “And how do you propose we do that?”

“You are the firstborn daughter of Queen Atlanna. The throne is yours by birthright. The only way to stop this war and save both worlds is for you to take your rightful place as queen.”

Kanan laughed at her ridiculous proposal. Sure, that’s true, but had they not known about what happened to her mother? “You think if I just show up, Orm’s gonna give up the throne? I’m the bastard daughter of the queen your people executed. Trust me, I am no queen.” It may sound harsh, but she had to say it.

“I agree.”

“Glad we’re on the same page.” Hopefully, that should be enough to deter the redhead.

Just when Kanan thought that their conversation was over, the lady continued speaking. “But Vulko seems to believe in you for some reason, and that’s why I’m here. He has learned of the location of the Lost Trident of Atlan.”

“Aww, fairy tales, isn’t that just cute?” Kanan was taunting the woman before assuming a more serious tone. “It’s a myth.”

However, the redhead outright denied it. “It’s not a myth. With the Sacred Trident, the people will listen to you. Then, you can claim your birthright and dethrone Orm.”

“My birthright? It died with my mother.” Kanan went closer to the girl, her words drizzled with a threatening tone. “But I promise you this. If Orm attacks, I will treat him exactly the same way your people treated her. With no mercy.”

After her final words, Kanan simply drove off, leaving the redhead behind.

\----

Chika just got to her bedroom after a long day attending the guests at her family inn. She made good use of her lunch break though, visiting her long-time friend who was working at the nearby aquarium. As she was lying on her bed while mindlessly scrolling through her phone, the orange-haired girl could sense that something was not quite right.

She slowly made her way to the windows, wondering if there was something going on outside. There was no one to ask or to talk to on the other side, her friend Riko had moved back to Tokyo after high school. So, it was up to Chika herself to find out why she was feeling so uneasy. As she turned her head towards the oceans, her sleepy red eyes could see how unusually tall the waves were at that moment.

It wasn’t until when her older sister started shouting that Chika finally figured it out.

“Everybody, run! A tsunami is coming right at us!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dw about chika, she's still alive because she ran to a higher ground ~~and she has her sunshine's MC plot armour~~
> 
> EDIT (01/12/2020): restructured and rewrote parts of this chapter  
> also, sorry that it's been a while since i updated this fic, but don't worry, chap 3 is on the way!


	3. Underwater City of Lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took a while, btw, there were some rewrites on the previous chap so go check that out.  
> anyways, here we go!

Under the night skies, Kanan was driving along the coastal road with her sleeping father buckled up on the passenger seat. The father-and-daughter duo had a good time together, enjoying their time over a good meal. Sure, there might have been an unwanted encounter after that, but it didn’t matter that much. The sooner she forgets about it, the better anyways.

However, as she continued her drive, a huge flock of birds were flying away from the oceans; it was a curious sight for the young lady. What could they be flying away from? Eager to find out, she briefly turned her eyes away from the road and towards the oceans beside her, and oh dear, what a cataclysmic sight it was.

The sheer scale of the ravaging waves was enough to stir panic inside her heart, which prompted her to push the pedal further in any hopes of escaping such a disaster.

The whole event was unprecedented, Kanan was sure that the waters were just as calm as usual earlier today, and there hadn’t been any early warnings of a tsunami she was aware of. When the girl peeked again on her right, she was mortified not by just how tall these tides were, but also by what were brought along together.

Huge ships were among the objects carried along aggressively by the waves, and they were inching closer to the coastline by the second. Kanan kept on speeding along the winding road in hopes of avoiding it, but even she knew that a tide like this was inevitable. It wouldn’t be that much of a problem if she were to be alone, but she has a father to take care of, and she does not want to risk losing another half of her parents.

Unfortunately, the oceans got the better of them when the waves eventually splashed ashore, instantly drowning the pickup truck. The torrential force spun their vehicle around, followed by a huge debris dragging Kanan far away from her father.

She eventually pushed the debris aside and desperately swam at full speed towards where the vehicle was. The daughter cried for her father as loud as she could, leaving a noticeable trail behind her as her body picked up speed. She was beginning to lose her bearings from all the confusing wreckage, until she came across a peculiar sight.

The waters in front of her began to flow in an unnatural manner, which only piqued her curiosity further. If she could put it into words, it was like seeing a waterfall from behind. Nevertheless, she rushed into the ever-expanding wall and before she knew it, she was already back on the surface.

She was still confused about the weird occurrence, until she turned around, revealing a bright blue glow emanating from the woman she met earlier.

This same woman was manipulating the waters around her, with her blue eyes glowing as bright as the aura around her. It felt magical. Kanan was amazed over what she saw; this redhead was doing her best to tame this force of nature by pushing the waters back into the sea.

Soon, Kanan got a glimpse of their damaged truck, with her father still buckled up inside. The girl rushed towards it, pulling the man away as quick as she could. His body was limp, left unconscious from the devastating impact of the waves. He was no longer breathing. She tried her very best to resuscitate him, but to no avail.

Kanan eventually yielded when the woman in green offered her help, hoping that maybe she could work out some kind of a miracle to bring him back to life. And what a miracle it was. The woman gently hovered her hand somewhere above his mouth, followed by a shining glow coming from her palm. All the moisture was being pulled away, and soon after, Kanan’s father regained his consciousness, spitting out the remaining sea water in the process.

The daughter eventually went by his side, helping him out as he slowly rose upright. Her father was still alive, and Kanan was extremely grateful for that. As she gave her old man a nice and warm hug, she turned his face back towards her saviour whom she wants to make amends with.

“Sorry that we got off to a bad start earlier. Come to think of it, I don’t think I even know your name.”

“It's Princess Y'Mera Xebella Challa.”

_That’s rather mouthful_ , Kanan thought.

“You may call me Mera.”

After all this lady had done for her, she deserves at least a sincere gratitude from her. “Thank you, Mera.”

After a while, they all slowly got up, carefully taking some few steps forward to properly take in the devastating sights. They could see Uchiura in a distance away along the bay, but it was a far cry from what the sleepy seaside town usually was. Houses were burning, wreckages were scattered along the beaches, and sirens were blaring incessantly, culminating in a jumble of noises nobody expected to hear in this hour.

“This was Orm’s doing.”

Guess Mera was right all along about her half-brother. Why does he wanted to do all this in the first place? To incur such destruction to the surface? The lady wasn’t finished speaking though, but when she continued, it sent a terrifying chill down Kanan’s spine.

“The worst is yet to come.”

\----

Kanan woke up the next morning with a lot going on her mind. She couldn’t sleep well last night; well, who wouldn’t after all that had unfolded? Her hands instinctively reached out for her phone, picking it up from the nightstand beside her. Her lock screen was already flooded with notifications, which only tempted the girl to slide her fingers upwards.

She momentarily sighed out in relief; her friends were all safe thankfully. They had been checking in on her either through private messages or group chats, to which she responded with a simple reply to quell their worries. Though, Kanan ended up hanging around the Aqours group chat for a little longer, made livelier considering last night’s events.

While it was nice chatting with her high school friends especially in these tough times, Kanan knew she doesn’t have that much time to spare. Without further ado, she wished everyone a safe day, before walking towards her closet. Her usual wetsuit was the choice of the day, suiting up for what could possibly be a long day underwater.

The blue-haired lady made her way downstairs to the sight of her father relaxing on the couch. After some morning greetings, the two hugged each other for as long as they could; only the urgency of time could pull them apart.

“Feeling better, dad?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me too much,” he pointed at the television. “You have bigger problems to worry about.”

In front of their eyes, the morning news was showing the extent of the ocean’s destruction. As it turns out, it wasn’t merely a localised disaster, rather, it was a global catastrophe. Entire shorelines were greatly affected, from sleepy inlets to major port cities. Miles of wreckages and ruins were all that was shown in these upsetting footages. And to think that there might be more to come.

All this made Kanan realise just how bad the whole situation was.

The fate of the world rests on her palms.

Whether she likes it or not, she had no choice but to stop this threat herself. And if that means going to the one place that had shunned her, then so be it.

Kanan looked for her mother’s trident, one of the few relics she left over before her disappearance. She was skilled enough to handle the weapon, and it’s always handy to have something in case this long trip takes a turn for the worse.

“By the way, Mera told me that she’s waiting for you at the other side of the island.”

The man spoke again before her daughter even had the chance to ask. She had been wondering where the Atlantean had been, so it was reassuring to hear about where she’s been.

Before leaving, Kanan again wrapped her arms around her father, giving him a farewell hug as she embraced herself for a long journey. She wished that it wouldn’t take that much time, but she couldn’t make any guarantees.

“Stay safe, dad.”

“You too, sweetie.”

After exchanging their last goodbyes, Kanan opened the door and with a final wave, made her way outside to start her adventure.

The blue-haired girl trekked her way around the sparsely populated island, walking along the steep shoreline. The challenging terrain meant that she had to cross through some rocky seaside after the walkway ends, but that, coupled with the heavy vegetation, added to the seclusion she needed for this situation.

A few minutes later, Kanan finally got a glimpse of the woman in green, patiently waiting from above the rocky cliff. She then climbed her way up and stood just beside Mera, with her eyes then immediately drawn to the infinite blue seas.

The ocean looks amazingly breathtaking from this perspective, it was enough to make the girl fall silent, admiring its beauty through her violet eyes. Not long after, the view became more familiar, and her thoughts were suddenly taken back to the past.

“What is it?”

Kanan was brought back to reality when Mera spoke up, who began to wonder what made her seemed so deep in thought.

“Oh, nothing. Just that it’s the same spot that Vulko gave me my first swimming lesson.”

She had been reminiscing about all the training she had here when she was younger, her trainer’s words and advice still fresh in her mind.

Although, Kanan felt the need to clarify a few things before starting their adventure.

“Just to make things clear, I’ll help you to stop this war. But after that, I’m done.”

“Maybe that’s for the best.”

Mera then leapt for the waters, with the lady in blue behind her following suit. With a splash, the two figures fully submerged themselves underwater, drifting away from the shore. As they swam further, Kanan’s mind began to get more preoccupied.

\----

Years have passed since that aquarium incident, and despite what happened, Kanan was still the friendly, hug-loving kid that everyone’s comfortable with. Her social life was doing alright, she managed to keep some of her friends from preschool, and even made new ones when she enrolled into elementary school.

It was fun hanging out with her friends, whether it be playing around at Mito Beach with Chika and You or inviting Dia over to the island to spend some time at Mari’s place. Sometimes, Kanan would even sneak into the hotel premises, flashing a light towards her balcony just to see her.

Sure, everything’s fine in that department, but it doesn’t stop her from feeling like a fish out of water, almost literally. After all, not only could she talk to the fishes, but she found out that she could also swim like them. The girl was quite strong for her age too, but at least her hugs haven’t cracked any bones. Yet. It made sense considering her heritage, but it also made her feel stranger.

One time, she wanted to help her father rearranging the diving tanks around the shop, after seeing how he struggled with it. But when she started carrying what seemed like heavy cylinders, she couldn’t help but to notice just how light they were. But then, it’s air. How could air ever be heavy? But when her father explained how these tanks work, then only had she realised what she did.

There was nobody she could properly turn to. Flat out telling her secret to her friends might overwhelm them instead, and her father, well, he’s only human. He might not understand much about what she’s going through, but at least he’s very supportive of her, always on her side whenever things get tough.

Sometimes, Kanan had difficulty coming to terms with her mixed heritage, especially with how distant the two worlds are. It’s probably why her parents believed that she could be the one to unite them in the future. Sure, she’s the living proof of the ideal, but the child frankly had no idea how to fulfil the destiny. No guidance. If only her mother was still here, maybe she could’ve shed some more light about it.

It would’ve helped a lot if there was at least another Atlantean that she could talk with she supposed, seeing how she had never seen one apart from her mother. At least just anyone who could help explain more about this aquatic side of her.

Fortunately, her wish finally came true when she got back home from school to the sight of her father hosting an unfamiliar guest. The man, who was wearing a strange-looking black attire, turns out to be the chief advisor to the throne of Atlantis, and Kanan was just the one he was looking for.

She supposed that this time would come eventually, considering how she is, by all definitions, a princess. Kanan became curious of why he was here in the first place, what could it possibly be? Was he going to take her to Atlantis? A visit to the fabled city would totally be fun, and she’s been longing to meet her mother after all these years. Though, if it were to be forever, then that means she would have leave behind the friends she made here, and she sadly wasn’t prepared to let go of that yet.

Contrary to her assumptions, Vulko, as she would soon know him as, actually swam all the way here to guide and train the young child to uncover her true potential.

Even if it wasn’t the expected answer, it doesn’t stop Kanan from happily beaming at the thought of it. Finally, an opportunity to find out what more she’s capable of!

Her introductory training session went off without a hitch, it was exhilarating even! Kanan had never been this thrilled before. She dived straight into the oceans, trailing beside her mentor as they began swimming. Her father might run a diving shop, but she has no need for any of its equipment.

“The ocean is more than our life source, Kanan. It is who we are.”

“Wait, you can talk underwater?” The young kid stopped in her tracks, surprised yet amazed when he began talking. Of course, the realisation instantly hit her when she had done the same. “Whoa, I can talk underwater too!”

“Oh, we can do more than just talk.”

Vulko then sped away in a much faster pace, leaving behind a trail as he got further from her sight. Kanan was even taken aback by the shockwave from his sudden change in motion, but it only made her more determined. In an effort to try and catch up with him, she launched herself forward, and took off with as much speed as she could.

Kanan couldn’t believe it, she had no idea she could go this fast! With the speed she was going, she was completely sure that she’s actually quicker than the ferry to the mainland. By now, she must’ve already covered an immense distance.

“Being Atlantean means more than just being able to breathe water.”

When she finally caught up to her trainer, he began to explain more about her physiology. The curious girl listened attentively, with her eyes still admiring the beautiful sights of marine life around her.

“Your body is equipped to survive the extreme cold and pressure.”

His words brought Kanan into yet another realisation. The girl knew that the oceans can be a very cold place, especially at the depth they were in. She had also read somewhere that the water pressure can also be crushing if one goes deep enough. But here she is, dashing under the deep sea with a big smile on her face, with no ill effect at all.

Not long after, Kanan noticed that the ocean blue had begun to darken, as she continued her descent underwater. Kanan had never been this far, this deep into the oceans, and the dark had already begun to freak her out. What if she came across those horrifying creatures she saw in the deep-sea aquarium downtown? What if there’s some spooky monsters hiding behind some rocks?

“Your eyes can also adjust to see in the dark.”

Huh, can they? If that’s true, then maybe that’ll help alleviate her fears. Kanan soon tried to figure out how to do so; she started by squinting her eyes, trying to narrow her focus. When her eyesight finally adjusted, fear was replaced completely with wonder.

Instead of marine monsters and creepy isopods that she so much feared, her glowing purple eyes were greeted with a magnificent view of the ocean floor, the marine life down here giving off a fluorescence similar to that of neon lights she saw on a trip to the capital at night. The kid was captivated by the vibrant colours, it really made her love and appreciate the oceans more.

Kanan continued her adventure across the sea, even convincing some of the aquatic creatures to let her arms wrap them into a warm, caring hug. Her elation did not end there, as she decided to try something else. The girl exuberantly launched herself upwards, breaking through the fine line that separates the two worlds. Out of pure excitement, she shouted out loud as she repeated her leaps, even joining a group of dolphins nearby and jumped along with them.

All in all, Kanan had a wonderful time. The girl had fun exploring the hidden wonders of the ocean, finding out more about herself, and even made a friend in the form of a dolphin. She couldn’t believe that she did all that in a single day! If anything, it made her more eager for the next sessions, maybe eventually she’ll get to visit her ancestral home.

She would soon return to her guide, who had been casually observing the many fishes swimming around in various directions.

“So, Vulko, when can I meet my mother?”

The man however maintained his calm demeanour in his response, reassuring the young child to be patient.

“Soon, my young princess. When you’re ready, I’ll take you to Atlantis to meet the queen.”

\----

“Over here.”

Kanan snapped back to reality after absentmindedly following Mera for what felt like several minutes. The lady in green had stopped in her tracks, which almost caught the blunette off guard. This left her confused even, are they not going to swim all the way to Atlantis?

Instead, she was told that they had to go there by means of an underwater ship. Kanan initially questioned the need for it but got on anyways, after being told of how this was the only way they could get inside.

Despite her initial reluctance, Kanan was actually quite impressed by this hyper-modern looking vehicle. It felt like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie. Thanks to her connections, she had taken a ride in some of the most luxurious cars, but this craft takes the cake.

During the entire trip, the blue-haired lady sat silent, her face filled with wonder as she admired the beautiful sights the deep sea has to offer. The fluorescent corals, the lively surroundings, the unique geography; Kanan could never grow tired of them all.

The silence lasted until they arrive just in front of the city gates, bustling with a swarm of vehicles making their way in and out of the city. It was a surreal sight for Kanan; she had never seen anything like this before, what more with her very own eyes.

When Mera aligned her ship into the busy straight line, an oddity caught Kanan’s attention.

“What’s the point in having a bridge underwater?”

“The Gateway Bridge is a remnant of the Old World.” Mera explained. “It’s also the only way in or out of the capital.”

“Couldn’t they just like, go over the walls or something?”

“Not quite. Security is impenetrable. Even if they did manage to evade the guards, they’d never get past the hydro-cannons.”

Kanan dragged her eyes around, observing the many defence mechanism in place. The walls were already tall enough, but it doesn’t stop them from installing those weapons above it. And the guards; wait, are those sharks they’re riding on? They really beefed up the security down here.

“People try to sneak in all the time,” added Mera.

Well, Kanan can’t say she was too surprised about that. “Yeah, right.”

Their queue slowly advanced, inching closer towards the grand entrance. They even managed to get through the border control without any checks, thanks to Mera’s diplomatic clearance.

Eventually, their vehicle went through the gates, revealing the city in all its glory. 

“Welcome home.”

The cityscape was simply jaw-dropping. Skyscrapers (do they even call it that?) were littered around the city, glowing with a vibrant luminosity that was sure to put a smile on Kanan’s face. It was extremely vast, distinctively designed buildings were laid out for miles to no end, with the crowds moving around adding another layer to the lively environment. It truly is a magical city, a modern metropolis located in the deepest depths of the oceans.

The pair continued their journey by descending straight towards the ocean floor, the futuristic landscape gradually replaced with ancient ones, albeit decrepit. Kanan could at least make out what the buildings were behind the heavy moss, majestic works of architecture synonymous to that of the ancient Greeks.

“There’s a safe house down in the Old City. The Highborns never venture to the sea floor.”

Kanan would love to get a proper tour of Atlantis someday despite her lingering animosity, but she would rather get this done as quickly as possible. Her unannounced presence here was already a big risk, and she would rather not take any more risks.

“We’re here.”

The craft was brought to a standstill once they were somewhere near the ground. The pair then swam out of the vehicle, with Kanan trailing behind Mera as the redhead lead their way to the meeting point. They came across a huge wooden ark, seemingly sunken for centuries judging from the moss.

The two girls slowly approached the dilapidated vessel, before getting inside once they spot an opening. When Kanan got inside, she noticed that it was as dry as the surface, completely devoid of any water.

“What’s this?” The blue-haired lady curiously asked.

“We use this air pocket as an extra layer of precaution. Only the Highborns can breathe water as well as air.”

“Plus, it keeps the animals out. They get kind of messy.”

Kanan immediately recognised the masculine voice, despite having not heard it since her teenage years. The ever-familiar tone was unmistakeable, and it could only belong to her teacher.

“Well, here I am, Vulko.” The former student planted her trident at the side, before approaching the man. “After all these years, you finally get what you wanted.”

The girl in blue opened her arms wide, embracing her guide into a gentle hug. It really has been a while.

“Kanan, I wish it was under better circumstances.”

After they both pulled away from the hug, Mera began to speak up as she got closer.

“I can’t believe Orm attacked.”

“It wasn’t an attack.” Vulko clarified. “Legally, he’s not allowed to yet. What he did to your surface warships was merely a warning.”

If all that was just a warning, then Kanan doesn’t even want to know what a full-blown war would look like.

“What provoked it?” The redhead asked.

“King Orm and your father were ambushed by the surface.”

Wait, did she hear this right? Kanan had to interrupt this conversation, there’s no way that could’ve happened.

“By the surface? I don’t think so. They still think Atlantis is a fairy tale.”

“I was there.” Vulko could still clearly recall what had occurred a while ago when the two kings met. He was there as part of the royal entourage, and as such, had bore witness to the sudden attack that disrupted their meeting and even injured some their men. “A surface warship fired at us.”

“Now, Xebel sides with Atlantis, giving Orm a fleet big enough to force the other two kingdoms to join him.” The man continued, switching his attention between the two princesses in front of him. “If we're going to prevent this war, you must dethrone him now.”

Couldn’t there be another way? Assuming the throne would be too much of a task to do, what more with the prejudice she had to face because of her origins.

“How many times do I have to tell you? I don't wanna be queen.”

“You don't understand.” The woman in green quickly interrupted Kanan’s speech, having to explain the potential ramifications of her half-brother’s plans. “Once he is named Ocean Master, it'll be too late. The power at his disposal will be unlike anything you have ever seen.”

Kanan sighed. “I'm from the surface. No one is gonna take me seriously. Okay? I don't even know where to begin.”

“By winning the hearts and minds of the people, by proving to them that you're worthy, and retrieving this.”

Vulko unrolled the scroll on the table, slowly revealing an ancient sketch of a trident. The lady in blue peered closer out of interest, but what she has was already enough for her.

“Looks cool, but I already had one.” Kanan said, pointing her thumb to her own trident, passed down from her mother.

“Not like this one, you don’t. This is the Lost Trident of Atlan.”

“Oh, I know the story.” If there was one thing she remembers the most of her mother, it would be these fairy tales that her child-self loved to listen to.

“It's more than a story. It's real.”

Vulko began to explain the origin of this fabled weapon, the all so familiar legend that Kanan had heard of when she was just a little girl. It was forged by the greatest weapon masters known to man at that time, and it was crafted exclusively for King Atlan, the first ruler of Atlantis. Not only was the trident made of Poseidon’s steel, but legend says that it was imbued with the power to command the sea.

“So what happened to it?”

“To know that is to go back to the time before the Great Fall, when King Atlan ruled over all that was, when the kingdoms of Atlantis were one.”

After all, the sunken city was never always underwater to begin with. It was in fact, much more than that. It was an extremely advanced kingdom for its time, possessing technologies that was unthinkable, even with modern day standards. In a time where the rest of the world had extremely limited knowledge, they had unlocked the secret of unlimited energy that greatly contributed to their prosperity.

This drove them to be more innovant, more ambitious; but this hunger for power is what caused their downfall. They had done many crazy experiments, but not as devastating as this one. An attempt to harness the power of Atlan’s trident backfired horrendously, as it culminated into a massive pulse of energy radiating throughout the city.

This shockwave incapacitated much of their machines, shaking their ground to the very core as buildings began to collapse from the violent tremors. Eventually, the ground gave way to the oceans, and with one fell swoop, the waters swallowed the city, now sunken deep underwater.

However, the very same reason that caused their civilisation to fall is what made them who they are today. The raw power from the blast affected much of the survivors, causing them to easily adapt to their new aquatic environment. This unprecedented evolution helped them rebuild their fallen kingdom as formidable as it was, only this time undersea.

Some were lucky enough to maintain their human characteristics, but others changed, some even regressed to mere savages.

As a result of the fall, the king lived out the remainder of his days in self-imposed exile, and neither he nor the trident were ever seen again.

Until now.

“One of our archaeological teams uncovered this a few months ago.” Vulko pulled out a cylindrical object, explaining why it is so important for the mission. “It's an ancient recording dating back to the First Dynasty. I believe it contains Atlan's final message to his people and the whereabouts of the Sacred Trident.”

“So, what does it say?” Kanan asked.

“We don't know.” Mera chipped in. “The technology's too old.”

“The cylinder bears the markings of the Deserter Kingdom. You must take it there and retrieve the message. The clue to Atlan's final resting place is inside of this.”

Just as Kanan was about to grab it, a loud explosion shook the place, causing all three of them to fall onto the ground. Eventually, a group of white-cladded guards entered the scene, complete with full-body armours and hydro rifles.

“Border Defence. You are under arrest for illegal entry.”

The soldier spoke with a heavily filtered voice, intimidating the woman in blue as she was forcibly pulled upwards. The rest of the troop had already begun to aim their rifles at the trespasser, surrounding the perimeter.

But Kanan won’t go down without a fight. Now that her body was upright, she quickly kicked the guard’s body, freeing herself from his grip. The sudden motion was enough to justify the rest of the troop to open fire, but the girl managed to avoid it just in time.

The struggle continued for a while; despite being outnumbered, Kanan handled it with relative ease. Her movement was beautifully precise yet agile, avoiding all that fire while still managing to land some kicks and punches at them. Some even got the taste of their own medicine, being hit by their own firearms as the girl manoeuvred herself between the soldiers.

Moments later, another guard arrived, only this one was clad in a red armour unlike the others. A couple more of these red guards came over soon after, all of them equipped with swords instead. Kanan defended herself with the dropped rifle, using it as a makeshift melee weapon to protect her from the onslaught of their blades. These ones proved to be much harder to master, as they seemed to be more skilled in close combat.

At the very least, she managed to overpower some of them, but even then, it proved to be too much of a hassle for her. She then got on a one-to-one combat with the remaining guard, both sides having displaced each other’s weapon not long after. With only their bodies left, the two continued their fight physically.

This time however, Kanan was powerless against this guard, as his thick armour was resistant enough against her punches. Eventually, the tides of the battle turned against her, with the lady in blue now on the receiving end. The punches actually hurt her, turns out the armour was also responsible in enhancing its intensity.

The last punch sent the blunette flying a few feet away, with the impact between the two even causing a minor ripple in the air.

This time, Kanan couldn’t get up, the only thing she could do was to lie helplessly over this wooden rubble. Mera and Vulko had apparently fled the scene a while ago, leaving her alone in the mess. She was slightly peeved about that, but she supposed that they could probably get caught for treason or something if they ever found out that they were in the same room.

_This is it_ , she thought. She was finally caught by these forces, and there was no point running away from the inevitable. The soldier slowly approached her exhausted body, speaking with a cold and authoritative tone.

“In the name of His Highness King Orm, I place you under arrest.”

With yet another punch, the guard sent Kanan unconscious.


End file.
